1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a toy, and more particularly to a water gun that converts to a self-propelled water toy.
The invention doubles the enjoyment provided by a water gun by enabling the water gun to be converted into a realistic self-propelled toy water craft, such as a toy submarine. The water gun is preferably a pump-action water gun of the type in which air is pumped into a reservoir in order to apply pressure to water in the reservoir, causing the water to be expelled forcefully upon opening of an outlet valve in response to activation of a trigger. When the toy is converted into a water craft, a trigger latch holds open the outlet valve so that water is expelled continuously even after the trigger is released.
2. Description of the Related Art
The combination water gun and submarine toy of the present invention modifies the known type of pump-action, air pressure type of water gun so that it can be converted into a toy water craft, and in particular into a toy submarine.
Pump-action water guns that utilize air pressure to forcefully expel a continuous stream of water have recently attained widespread popularity. In the conventional pump-action water gun of this type, air is pumped into the water reservoir to apply pressure to water in the reservoir. When a trigger is operated to open an outlet valve for the reservoir, the water is expelled in a continuous stream at a force that is greater than can be provided by a conventional purely mechanical pump system, thus providing wetter and more fun water play. Examples of pump-action, air pressure type water guns are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,129 (which also discloses a combined water gun/flashlight), U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,437, 5,150,819, 5,305,919, 5,339,987, and 5,419,458.
Like the water gun of the present invention, most conventional water guns, whether of the air pressure or purely mechanical type, are constructed to resemble actual or stylized firearms. However, unlike the water gun of the present invention, when the conventional water gun is turned over or tossed into a body of water, it does not even remotely resemble or suggest any sort of vehicle or water craft, much less a self-propelled water craft that utilizes the water expelling mechanism of the water gun as a means of propulsion for the water craft. As a result, when play with the water guns is over, or when it is too cold outdoors for water play, the water guns must be set aside.
To increase the versatility of conventional water guns, it has previously been proposed to combine the conventional water guns with other types of toys. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5.564,961 and 5,667,419 disclose water guns hidden in puppets, while U.S. Design Patent No. Des. 348,913 depicts a combination water pistol and airplane. However, the toys with which the water guns described in these patents are combined are not intended as separate playthings, but rather are ornamentally disguised water guns which can essentially only be used for water gun play.
It has also been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,486 to add a water squirting mechanism to a remote-controlled self-propelled vehicle in order to increase the versatility and attractiveness ofthe vehicle. However, in order to achieve such versatility, the combined vehicle utilizes a relatively complex and expensive arrangement of a separate motor for propelling the vehicle and an electric pump for squirting water. While adding interest to its role as a remote controlled vehicle, the combined vehicle/water squirting toy of this prior patent has a configuration that does not resemble a gun, and is unsuitable for traditional water gun play. In addition, it is not suitable for use as a water craft.
To date, therefore, water guns have been limited to traditional water gun play, while other vehicles, including vehicles intended for swimming pool or bathtub play, have been considered to be entirely separate items unsuitable for traditional water gun play. The possibility of combining a water gun with a self-propelled water craft does not appear to have been even remotely considered, much less the possibility of utilizing the water gun shooting mechanism as the means of propulsion for the vehicle, so that the combined vehicle is no more complicated or expensive than an ordinary air pressure type water gun.